Best Practices for Scrum Teams

Strategies for Team Success

The Scrum Framework is designed to be used in complex product development. In that domain, there aren’t many practices that are perfectly repeatable in all contexts, but there are a few best practices we can employ when we’re using Scrum—things you should just do. These should be consistent across all teams, or you might not see very great results using Scrum at all.

1. Daily Scrum

The word “daily” is intentional—Scrum Teams should meet every day. The Daily Scrum doesn’t need to be lengthy; in fact, it shouldn’t be. Keep it to 15 minutes or less and avoid diving into problem-solving during the meeting. Its primary purpose is micro-planning: a quick check-in to align on progress toward the Sprint Goal. Everyone should leave the meeting with a clear understanding of where they stand, what others are working on, and how the team is moving forward.

2. Definition of Done

You’ve got to have a Definition of Done, and it should be closely tied to the idea of quality. If your team isn’t clear on the quality standards expected for your product or organization, that’s a serious issue—address it immediately. A well-defined Definition of Done ensures that everyone understands what “done” truly means and helps maintain consistent quality across all work.

3. Ordered Product Backlog

An ordered Product Backlog is essential for effective Scrum. The Product Owner plays a key role in this by ensuring that the team is always focused on maximizing value. This means identifying and avoiding low-value work or deferring it until later. The product backlog should be clearly ordered based on value and other criteria that aligns with delivering the most impact. A well-ordered backlog helps the team focus on what matters most.

4. Sprint Planning

Sprint Planning is crucial to get right, but it doesn’t require detailing every single task. The key is to align the team around a clear Sprint Goal. From there, develop a solid understanding of the work you plan to take on during the Sprint. As the Sprint progresses, remain flexible and adapt your plan as needed to stay on track and respond to change effectively.

5. Sprint Review

It’s essential to hold a Sprint Review—and it should be much more than just a demo. This event is an opportunity to engage your stakeholders, foster real collaboration, and discuss the business direction and the future of the product. A well-executed Sprint Review provides valuable insights, ensures alignment, and helps guide upcoming work. Treat it as a high-value event, and never skip it.

6. Sprint Retrospective

There’s a common misconception that Product Owners shouldn’t attend Sprint Retrospectives—but that’s simply not true. The Product Owner is a vital part of the Scrum Team and should be fully involved in the retrospective. The entire Scrum Team must participate in order to reflect, learn, and continuously improve how they work together over time.

7. Cross-Functional Teams

Scrum Teams should be cross-functional, meaning they possess all the skills necessary to deliver a working product without relying on external resources. When teams frequently need to go outside themselves to fill skill gaps, it disrupts delivery and limits adaptability. To avoid this, focus on growing or adding the needed skills within the team to maintain self-sufficiency and maximize effectiveness.

8. Feedback ASAP

Getting feedback on your work as early as possible is critical. This requires delivering value incrementally, allowing you to gather input along the way. Without timely feedback, you risk building something that misses the mark and compromises your ability to make informed decisions later. Don’t wait for the Sprint Review to validate your progress—if there’s an opportunity to get feedback sooner, take it.

9. Transparency

Without transparency, confusion and misinterpretation are inevitable. Everyone involved should clearly understand why the team is doing the work, what exactly is being done, and how it’s being accomplished. Transparency ensures alignment and shared understanding. Stakeholders, in particular, should be able to see the results of the team’s work through a clearly visible, transparent Done increment.

10. Continuous Improvement

A successful Scrum Team is committed to continuous improvement and pursues it relentlessly. While the Sprint Retrospective provides a dedicated opportunity to reflect and adapt, improvement shouldn’t be limited to that event alone. Whenever a problem is identified, the team should take time to consider how things can be made better and be willing to experiment with changes that drive progress.

The Key to Long-Term Success

Establishing and maintaining the foundational elements of Scrum is essential for long-term success. By staying true to these core practices, teams create the conditions necessary for continuous improvement, collaboration, and meaningful outcomes.